Unbound Gravel 100

Jack kicked off the day with a strong pre-race fueling strategy, supplementing his breakfast with a PF 60 Chew Bar to easily reach the recommended 1-4g/kg of carbohydrate. He even took a PF 30 Caffeine Gel in the final 30 minutes before the start to top off his energy and ensure blood glucose levels were elevated going into his biggest ride of the year so far.

During the race, Jack used a well-thought-out fueling strategy made up of a variety of PF&H fuel sources. Two of his litre bottles had PF Carb Only Drink Mix in them, and he also fueled with caffeine gels, PF 30 Chews, and Flow Gel in his Top Tube flask. The latter is a set up that’s historically been popular in triathlon and is now becoming increasingly common in gravel racing, as it offers an efficient way to carry plenty of carbs. The mix of textures is also a smart tactic to avoid flavour fatigue - a prevalent issue in long-distance events. Jack averaged an impressive ~116g of carbs per hour up to the first check-point at mile 54, where he made a calm, controlled stop with the PF&H crew. He picked up fresh bottles and restocked with more gels and chews to power him through the second half, dropping down to a still solid ~76g/h. Overall, Jack averaged right on target for an event of this duration and intensity, helping him feel strong all the way to the line.

Jack prepared well for the hot conditions by working with the Sports Science Team to build an individualised hydration strategy. Although his sweat sodium concentration is moderate, he opted for PH 1500 given the hot predicted conditions and also to allow some flexibility of alternating between electrolyte drinks and plain water to vary the taste.

His fluid intake remained stable from start to finish, demonstrating a consistent replenishment strategy to keep up with his sweat losses. However, the relative sodium concentration of his intake changed significantly across the two segments. Over the first half of the race, Jack averaged ~900mg/L of sodium, closely matching his individual sweat sodium losses. For the second half, it dropped to below ~500mg/L, less than half his usual concentration. This dip coincided with the onset of cramp on the final ‘Hotdog Hill’, which Jack primarily puts down to the severity of the climb and his conditioning. That said, the shortfall in electrolyte replacement may have played a role and contributed to the cramp issue. Only 1L of the 4L of fluid Jack carried from the checkpoint to the finish contained electrolytes. For future events, we’d recommend increasing the proportion of drinks containing sodium to better match his losses and help reduce the risk of cramping. Jack mentioned he had some access to cooling but felt he could’ve done more. Planning to take on extra ice or water would’ve helped, as even seemingly simple methods like pouring water over the head or using ice can reduce heat strain and help maintain performance in hot conditions.

Alongside his pre-race gel, Jack had two PF 30 Caffeine Gels during the race that he picked up at the 54 mile check-point. These would have provided a useful boost, as caffeine typically peaks in the bloodstream around 45 minutes after ingestion and has a half-life of about 4-5 hours. The only adjustment we’d recommend would be to switch one of his caffeine gels to take earlier on, which would have allowed him to reap the ergogenic benefits for a longer period of the race.